


Variables

by Nanashi_Soldier



Category: The Maze Runner Series - All Media Types, The Maze Runner Series - James Dashner
Genre: M/M, Pre-Canon, Spoilers, WICKED is not good, attempted suicide, mention of Thomas' back story
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-22
Updated: 2015-04-22
Packaged: 2018-03-25 04:52:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 864
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3797428
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nanashi_Soldier/pseuds/Nanashi_Soldier
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>WICKED forces Thomas to make Newt undergo the worst variable the teen can imagine, but he can't let him die.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Variables

**Author's Note:**

> Heed the spoiler warnings! You have been warned that there is mention of Newt's attempted suicide and a minor mention of Thomas' back story regarding his parents. So if you don't want spoilers, turn back now. So no complaints as you have now been warned twice about spoilers.
> 
> Now that you've reread my spoiler alert... I really need to finish my other stories and yet keep writing one shots. Oops. I regret nothing.

He was settled there, just watching the feed from the various areas. There was one boy he watched. Whenever he watched him out in the maze, his heart ached. He knew that he was the one who controlled the variables out there. The one who was in-charge of adding in different obstacles. After all, he was one of the ones who built the maze.

"We want to add in a new variable to Subject A5." A superior's voice was in his ears. They were leaning over. "We want to see what happens when they're placed into a state of depression." He shook a little, his hands pausing. They were going to do that to Newt? To _his_ Newt?

Sure, there were many possibilities of an outcome. Newt could overcome the feelings and be fine. Or he could jump off the cliff.

"This is an order from Paige. You can't back down, Thomas." And he pulled up the feed from the swipe. He began to rewrite the data, chewing on his bottom lip the entire time. He gave one last glance at the teen running the maze before hitting the enter button.

Newt seemed to slow his running. He just watched as the boy's brain waves began to change, the brain scan on his screen was even altering. This variable was just too cruel as he watched how it began to effect Newt. The male just began to run, he began to push himself.

How Thomas wanted to tell the other that it was alright. He knew things would be unpredictable, that was the reasoning behind everything they did. Each thing they put these subjects through held meaning. The swipe made sure that they could control it all and see how things would turn out.

The brunet never left his console after that, barely eating, barely sleeping. He watched his subject just go into despair. He should be watching the other Gladers, checking on their brain waves, but couldn't. He couldn't bring himself to look away from Newt. That was why he was the one to notice the change.

Newt climbed the wall, something him and the other runners rarely did. He could see the way Newt's brain had changed, how deep in depression he was. And Thomas knew he was behind it all. He had damaged what was most precious to him. The boy on the ledge had been his, would always be. And yet Thomas was the one who brought both happiness and despair into the teen's life. He was the one who named him Newt after Isaac Newton. To him, Newton was an important scientist. That without him, a lot of wheels wouldn't have been set into motion.

And what was Isaac Newton famous for? His laws of physics. And Thomas was going to witness it in action. He could feel many eyes watching the screens, all showing the change in Newt and what was about to happen. They were all watching to see if A5 was going to jump or not.

But he couldn't allow it. It was why he did the one thing he knew possible. He gave Newt just a little bit of hope as the other jumped. The fall wouldn't kill him, it was why he went into Alby's swipe, ensuring Newt's survival.

No one seemed to notice his doing. They just went along writing their notes, collecting their data. However, Thomas just watched his feed, watched Alby collect Newt to bring him back to the Glade. As long as Newt clutched on to the bit of hope Thomas gave him, he was going to live.

He noticed the way Teresa was watching him, her voice entering his head. But he didn't respond to her. He just went back to work and, after a couple minutes, she did, too.

Time ticked on and Thomas watched as Newt healed, as he got better. He watched every new person that got sent up, until he soon felt someone standing behind him. He knew that this would be coming. He was supposed to believe in WICKED, it had been pounded into his head ever since he was taken in. To cure others from becoming cranks like his mother and father.

"Come along, Thomas. It's time." He was being led out of the room and couldn't help but swallow as he looked back at the others. The look of pity that crossed their faces made the his stomach drop. But he had to do this, there was no other choice.

He was led to a room and told to settle on the cold metal bed. He knew what was going to come next, he had been here went Newt went under. He was surprised when Teresa came in. They had been together for years, been through so much. He couldn't help but offer her a smile before the mask was placed over his lips.

Things were going to change now. But now he wasn't going to be just watching. He was going to enter into the world he could never control again. As he closed his eyes, he swore he could hear the machine begin that would strip him of his memories.


End file.
